


Bagginshield one-shots

by Nirindel



Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Acorn scene, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Character Death, Cooking, Developing Relationship, Doctor/Patient, Dorks in Love, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Hair Braiding, Humor, Long Hair, M/M, Madness, Muffins, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Post-Battle of Five Armies, Rating May Change, Stubborn Thorin, Swearing, Thorin has dirty ideas, Thorin is a Softie, Thorin likes to stare, Uncle Thorin, Watching films, Writer Bilbo Baggins, Writer's Block, bathing in a river, but Bilbo loves them, horrors, lots of fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-04
Updated: 2016-07-16
Packaged: 2018-07-12 06:04:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 12,386
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7088209
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nirindel/pseuds/Nirindel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A collection of one-shots inspired by the things I found on the internet or weird situations my crazy mind came up with.</p><p>~~~~~~~~~~</p><p>Today's one-shot: Thorin tries to cook, but fails quite spectacularly.</p><p>Now beta tested!<br/></p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Totally unrespectable

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The dwarves decide to take a bath in the river and Bilbo enjoys some nice views.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My usual reminder: I'm not English, so, sorry for the mistakes.  
> This is beta tested by lovely [dee-licium](https://hobbitystmarymorstan.tumblr.com/)

Bilbo grumbled quietly as he tried to clean his poor clothes. The goblin tunnels and the mad dash from the orcs had left them in a quite horrible state. He hoped that a good scrub would make them presentable enough (if one could ignore the lack of buttons on his waistcoat). Luckily, he’d found a creek near their camp and he was determined to make the most of it, before the dwarves came and disturbed his peace. He liked his companions, but they were so overwhelming sometimes that he wanted some time alone to calm down and organise his thoughts. The ring, the pale orc, the hug and the sudden change in Thorin’s attitude towards him; there was quite a lot to think about.

The hobbit managed to wash himself and his clothes and then sat quietly, drying in the warm sun, when a sudden rustle from behind made him turn around, his hand instantly reaching for his sword.

“Master Bilbo! There you are!” Fili and Kili marched towards him with cheerful smiles. “We started to get worried after you disappeared,” said Fili sitting on a nearby rock. “I see you found a stream. That’s great! We all could use a bath after everything,” and ignoring Bilbo’s surprised stare, he began to undress, followed by Kili, who also called the rest of the Company.

In a few seconds, Bilbo was surrounded by stripping dwarves, who ran into the river like it was their salvation. The hobbit just squeaked and looked in the other direction, trying to regain his sanity after seeing so much naked skin. He wasn’t, of course, an innocent tween, but for Yavanna’s sake the dwarves could show at least a bit of modesty. When hobbits bathed together, they covered themselves and his companions’ shameless behaviour nearly gave him a heart attack.

Really, the manners of dwarves.

Trying not to look up, Bilbo dressed as quickly as possible, wanting to leave the Company to their childish behaviour.

“You will not be joining them, Master Baggins?” suddenly Thorin was at his side, looking at him expectantly. Bilbo squeaked in surprise and dropped his shirt. The dwarf just raised his eyebrows, waiting for an answer. Thank Yavanna the king had his clothes on. When did he learn to sneak up like that…?

“Don’t do that, please,” the hobbit grumbled, trying to get the leaves and twigs off his freshly washed shirt. “And for your information I already bathed. Besides, I wouldn’t risk being drowned by our companions.”

“I am sure they would not do that,” chuckled Thorin and, to Bilbo’s horror, also started to undress.

He needed to run. Now. Or he would be doomed forever, together with his proper manners.

“I’ll go and join Gandalf at the camp,” said Bilbo, trying to gather the rest of his clothes as fast as possible and not look suspicious at the same time. “Enjoy your bath.”

“I would prefer if you stayed here, Master Baggins,” said the dwarven king with a grunt as he tried, and failed, to take off his armour. “The wizard disappeared somewhere and it is not safe to be in those woods alone.”

Bilbo could only sigh as he dropped back on his rock. Thorin was right, of course. And why did that damn wizard wander off again?! The hobbit was left to stare at his feet and use all his willpower not to look up towards his laughing and splashing companions. He was a proper gentlehobbit and he would act like one, thank you very much! But another painful grunt made the hobbit look at Thorin from the corner of his eye. He was still struggling with his armour.

Oh yes, the wounds after the orc attack, thought Bilbo.

“Do you need help?” he asked before he could stop himself.

“I think I can undress myself, Master Baggins,” answered the king, while glaring at his armour, like that would make it cooperate.

“Yes, I can see that,” observed Bilbo sarcastically. Really, dwarves and their silly pride. “Maybe you’ll manage to take it off before sunset.”

The hobbit knew he shouldn’t push it, but this was starting to get ridiculous. He could easily see that Thorin was in pain.

Thorin didn’t answer, just continued to struggle for a few moments. Finally, he growled in frustration, let go of the clasps and looked at Bilbo hopefully.

“Alright, alright, I’m helping,” chuckled the hobbit as he got up and begun to undo all the clasps on the armour.

It took a few moments, but finally Thorin was only in his tunic and trousers.

“That went much faster, don’t you think?” asked Bilbo, putting the armour on the side. “I believe you’ll manage the rest by yourself.” He was not going to help Thorin take off the rest , thank you. He’d enough for one day.

“Master Baggins are you trying to get me undressed?” Thorin asked suddenly in mock horror.

Bilbo just stared at the dwarf for a few moments, trying to process what he had heard. Did Thorin just...?

The king smirked at his friend’s dumbfounded expression and that made the hobbit regain his senses. The nerve of that dwarf! Alright! If he wanted, two could play this game.

“Yes, so you can add to the view,” he replied sarcastically, crossing his arms across his chest and looking at the king with raised eyebrows.

Thorin just chuckled and started to take off his tunic. Bilbo quickly averted his eyes and decided to concentrate on his ruined waistcoat. He sat back on his rock and began to get rid of the threads that were left after the buttons had disappeared. And he wouldn’t look up. Never! It didn’t matter that he could hear the king entering the river, he would just fix his waistcoat and keep his eyes down. Definitely!

Of course, he did look up after a few seconds...

Of course, the first dwarf in his line of sight had to be Thorin...

Sweet Mother Yavanna...

The king had his back (with a quite a collection of bruises; and he’d pretended he didn’t need help...really) to the hobbit and was running fingers through his dark mane, trying to get it clean and untangled. The water nearly reached his waist, leaving his back in plain sight. And what a sight that was. Bilbo got a full view of Thorin’s nice, broad back, muscled shoulders and arms and a lovely backside, not to mention the thick, dark hair, now wet and sticking everywhere. One didn’t get such delightful sights everyday and he really should stop staring before someone noticed. Of course , as if called by his thoughts, the king turned around just as Bilbo had his eyes on Thorin's lower half.

Oh my...

The hobbit was sure he was red as a tomato then. Perfect timing, really. At least he’d got a full view of the other side, too. Now he could peacefully die of embarrassment. Well, not so peacefully, he decided when he noticed Thorin’s smirk. Maybe if he ran now he would be killed by orcs. That seemed a better idea that facing the king now.

Honestly!

Bilbo Baggins act like an adult!

Fine. He would play this game a bit longer. Gathering every drop of courage he had, he raised his eyes slowly, as if scanning the dwarf in front of him with a judgmental stare and finally looked Thorin in the eyes. He put his chin and his hand and tried to look disappointed. His Baggins side was screaming at him in horror, but he ignored it. Besides, Thorin had started this in the first place.

Bilbo expected laughing and teasing, but he certainly didn’t expect the reaction he received. To his surprise, the king’s smirk slowly disappeared, replaced by uncertainty. He averted his eyes and tried to shuffle deeper into the water.

That was unexpected. Did Thorin really...?

Bilbo tried to keep his face straight, but the slight blush that appeared on the dwarf’s cheeks made his resolve crumble and it was his turn to grin. When Thorin noticed that, his smile came back and he raised his eyebrows, as if in challenge.

Bilbo could only smirk. The whole situation had taken an unexpected turn! Not that he minded.

“For the love of Mahal, get a room you two!” Dwalin’s sudden roar brought them back to reality.

Right, the rest of the Company...he'd forgotten.

Totally unrespectable, thought Bilbo, as he and Thorin tried to fight off their blushes as the rest of the dwarves roared with laughter.

Not that he cared anymore.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't even remember where this idea came from. Maybe it just appeared one day as most of my ideas tend to do.
> 
> Anyway this collection of one-shots was supposed to be part of my 30 Day OTP Writing Challenge, but since my work takes most of my time, I can't write everyday. So I will just use this to post my ideas. I don't know how many stories there will be because my mind just keeps on creating something new every day. I'll try to post something at least once a week.


	2. Horrors are bad

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bilbo decides to watch a horror movie and Thorin joins him. Not everything goes according to plan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My usual reminder: I'm not English, so, sorry for the mistakes.  
> This is beta tested by lovely [dee-licium](https://hobbitystmarymorstan.tumblr.com/)

Bilbo closed the door to his small flat with a sigh. Finally home. The day had been long and tiresome; the kind of day where everything goes wrong. Luckily, it was Friday and he didn’t have to go anywhere the next day, so he was determined not to leave his flat, no matter what happened, and spend the day lying on his sofa, watching films and being lazy. Perfect plan. He also had the perfect film to start his weekend.

Recently, he’d borrowed a horror film from one of his friends. It was a quite popular Japanese horror film called _Ring_ , but Bilbo hadn't had a chance to watch it before. He knew it would fit right in with the other horror movies that he counted as the best on his list: plenty of suspense and tension and extremely eerie.

He quickly prepared some dinner and a few snacks and sat on his big, comfortable sofa with a mug of tea, ready to start the film. He was about to hit the play button and forget about the world, when he heard a knock on the door. So much for peace and quiet, he thought bitterly, getting up to his feet.

It turned out that luck hadn’t left him for good, as on the other side of the door Bilbo saw his newly acquired boyfriend, looking at him with a pleading expression. He and Thorin had known each other at work for some time now, but a month ago the man, looking panicked and as if he wanted to run, had suddenly asked him for a date. Bilbo just couldn’t say no to those lovely blue eyes. He’d wanted to ask too, but Thorin had just been faster.

“Thorin!” said Bilbo with a surprise, letting the man in and closing the door, “Not that I’m not happy, but weren’t you supposed to be at Dis’ house today for a family dinner?”

“I was there, but she invited nearly everyone who lives nearby,” answered Thorin with a tired expression, “It was supposed to be just us and the boys. I wasn’t mentally prepared for that. Besides, they insisted on trying to hook me up, so I ran.”

“Couldn’t you just say that you aren’t available anymore?” Bilbo couldn’t help but snicker as he gave his boyfriend a comforting kiss on the lips.

“I did, but they didn’t seem to believe me.”

“Maybe that’s because you still haven’t introduced me to Dis and Frerin, hmm?”

“They would eat you alive, so I would rather not,” Thorin wrapped his arms around Bilbo, hugging him tightly and burrowing his face into his boyfriend’s curls.

Bilbo just laughed and returned the hug, enjoying the warmth. He could stay like this forever, really.

“I see you had some plans tonight,” Thorin noticed his preparations for the film evening, looking over his shoulder, sounding disappointed, “Am I interrupting?”

“Of course not, you silly man,” said Bilbo with a huff and disentangled himself from his boyfriend, heading to the kitchen to make more tea, “I was about to watch a movie so why don’t you join me?”

Thorin nodded gratefully and sat on the sofa with a relaxed sigh. He really seemed tired. A nice quiet evening with a good film should make him feel much better, for sure.

“So what are we watching?” he asked stretching his long legs.

“ _Ring_. It’s a Japanese film and apparently, a very good one,” Bilbo put the steaming cup on the table and nestled himself next to his boyfriend, “I always wanted to see it and one of my friends told me he has it, so I couldn’t resist. It that ok with you? Because we can watch something else.”

“N-no, this one is fine.”

“Great!” said Bilbo as he reached for the remote, “It’s considered to be one of the scariest films from Japan, so this should be fun.”

About twenty minutes into the film Bilbo noticed that Thorin wasn’t enjoying the film as he expected. His boyfriend was sitting stiffly as close to him as possible with a panicked expression. The film was dark and tense, but that was a bit of an extreme reaction when it was just the beginning. Bilbo decided to interfere when Thorin made a quiet whimpering sound during the scene with the cursed tape. They were supposed to have a nice evening and his boyfriend freaking out wasn’t exactly what he had in mind.

“Thorin, if you don’t like horror films, then we can stop watching. I don’t mind,” he suggested, squeezing Thorin’s hand.

“I’m fine,” the man grumbled, but he didn’t sound convincing, especially since he was now clutching Bilbo’s hand tightly.

“We really can watch something else, if you’re sca...”

“I’m not scared! Now be quiet!’

Bilbo just sighed and decided not to push any more. If his stubborn boyfriend wanted to suffer, then fine.

The more they watched, the more ridiculous the situation got. At one point, Bilbo had to suppress his giggles as Thorin yelped and hid behind a pillow. He would have to watch it again later, alone, because it was really hard to concentrate with his frightened boyfriend clutching him as if his life depended on it. Such a big, stubborn baby. At least Bilbo would have some blackmail material for later.

When the film finally ended, Thorin was hiding behind a pillow, squeezed against his boyfriend as much as he could and Bilbo just wished he had a camera nearby.

“You can come out now, the film ended,” chuckled Bilbo, patting Thorin’s back reassuringly, “You really didn’t have to watch it, you know, not everyone likes horror.”

His only reply was a quiet grunt. Bilbo could only shake his head with a smile, as he ran a hand through his boyfriend’s thick hair, trying to calm him down. At least he’d discovered something new about Thorin and spent a nice (at least for him) evening, cuddling and watching a good film.

“Bilbo...” said Thorin seriously, finally emerging from behind the pillow.

“Hmmm?”

“I think I need to throw away my fucking television.”

Bilbo couldn’t stop himself this time and he burst into uncontrollable laughter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This idea hit me when a friend of mine was talking about a horror he watched. As I really don't like this type of films I just wanted him to spare me :D Then I thought how our favourite dorks would react and then I wrote this silly, short thing.
> 
> I watched Ring (ehemwasforcedtoehem) some years ago and I still find it scary. You can laugh, but my reactions were similar to Thorin's :D Since it's one of the two horrors that I watched, I decided to go with this one.
> 
> *For those of you who didn't watch the film (and don't plan to) *spoiler on* Sadako, the ghost of the film, crawls out of the tv and kills one of the characters at the end *spoiler off*. It's really creepy and I was scared of my own tv for some time :D No wonder Thorin wants to throw it away.


	3. Blue hair tie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bilbo's hair grows long and becomes quite bothersome. The solution changes everything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My usual reminder: I'm not English, so, sorry for the mistakes.  
> This is beta tested by lovely [dee-licium](https://hobbitystmarymorstan.tumblr.com/)

Winters were harsh in the North, engulfing everything in snow and frost. But that didn’t stop those who lived here. Now that the dragon was dead, there was lots to be done. Dale had to be rebuilt and Erebor made habitable again, especially since, come spring, the dwarves from Ered Luin were to begin traveling to the mountain.

Bilbo planned to stay after the battle for a little while, just to make sure that the Durins lived, but then the snow came, forcing him to stay the winter. He was actually quite happy about it. He loved all his dwarves dearly and he was glad for an opportunity to spend more time with them. He wasn’t bored either. Reclaiming Erebor was one thing, but re-starting a kingdom was another. Bilbo helped with everything he could, from cleaning the mess Smaug left, to helping with finances, negotiations, supplies and more. The hobbit didn’t mind. If he was busy, then his mind was occupied.

There were so many personal things he needed to sort out and Bilbo couldn’t bring himself to start. His relationship with Thorin was the biggest issue. After the battle, the king apologized for what he had done and Bilbo, of course, forgave him, but that didn’t fix the damage already done. Before the disaster with the gold sickness and the Arkenstone, the bond between them had been strong and the hobbit knew they had something bigger than friendship. They understood each other without words, could talk for hours and the way Thorin looked at him made his heart beat faster. But now it all had crumbled. Whenever they met, there was tension between them and the conversation was forced and awkward. Bilbo didn’t know if they could fix this, but he wanted to try. The only problem was that he couldn’t force himself to talk to the dwarf. He knew he was a coward running away from all this, but it was so painful sometimes that he couldn’t bear to deal with it.

So here he was, trying to sort out the supplies after meeting with Bard and ignoring his own problems. His mother would have hit him over the head for avoiding things. His dad would probably be more angry about respect and lecture him about the proper length of a hobbit’s hair. Bilbo hadn’t had much time to cut it, so it had grown quite long. He really should find scissors soon.

“Master Bilbo! Nice meetin’ you ‘ere!”

Bilbo was brought back to reality by Dain, marching  through the meeting hal ltowards him.

The Lord of the Iron Hills was a cheerful dwarf; he always seemed to smile and Bilbo liked him a lot. His merry attitude always made the hobbit relax. At first, Bilbo was worried that, after the mess with the Arkenstone, Dain might hate him. Instead, he had been crushed in a bear hug and head bumped nearly unconscious during their first meeting. Dain had thanked him then for saving his kin and treated him like family.

“Lord Dain, it’s good to see you,” Bilbo stood up from his chair and smiled at his companion, running a hand through his unruly hair. “What can I do for you?”

“Don’t ya be so formal with me now,” laughed Dain, clapping Bilbo on the back. “And stop with the ‘Lord’ business. Told ya already.”

“I was in a meeting, so my formal side wasn't turned off.”

“Ha! I know what you mean! Hate those meetin’s stuff. I leave those to my advisors.”

“And they must love you for that.”

Dain roared with laughter, giving Bilbo another pat on the back, nearly knocking him over. Really, the dwarf had an unlimited amount of good humour.

“So how was the meetin’ with Bard?” asked Dain, looking at the papers on the table.

“It went well,” Bilbo picked up the report he’d prepared for Balin and showed it to the ginger dwarf. His hair stubbornly falling into his eyes despite his attempts to keep it in place. He really needed to find those scissors. “We’ll have enough supplies before the next caravan arrives. I’m only worried about wood, but Bard promised to talk with the elves.”

“Sounds mighty good. And you’re right, we do need wood if we don’t want this place fallin’ on our heads.”

“Bard will let me know as soon as possible. Thorin just needs to warn the workers.”

“I’ll pass the message to my workers, too. Oh, and that reminds me! Thorin was lookin’ for ya.”

“Was he?” Bilbo felt an unpleasant tightness in his chest. He hadn’t seen the king in a week, instead consulting everything with Balin. He nervously ran a hand through his hair again, trying to figure out why Thorin wanted to see him. Were his reports unclear or had he made a mistake somewhere? “Did he say why?”

“No idea. He just said that he needs to talk to ya,” Dain scratched his chin and looked at Bilbo closely. “That hair of yours is gettin' mighty long.”

“I know. I don’t have time to cut it.”

“Och, don’t cut it! It would be such a waste!”

“I’m not a dwarf, Dain,” Bilbo sighed and looked at his friend with a raised eyebrow. He already had enough of this talk from the other dwarves. He was a hobbit and he wanted to stay one.

“I know, I know, but still,” Dain started to look through his robes, searching for something and grumbling quietly. Bilbo stared at him in confusion, but the dwarf finally found his missing treasure. “Aha! There it is! You can have it fer now,” and he gave the hobbit a small hair tie. It was plain, with no decorations, just a nice shade of blue.

“Thank you very much Dain,” Bilbo gratefully accepted the tie. Maybe this would finally keep his hair out of his eyes, although he would probably look ridiculous, but he didn’t care. As long as it worked. He managed to pull together a messy ponytail at the at the nape of his neck, which kept his curls at bay. For now...

“There, all better now,” smiled Dain. “But ya better go see that cousin of mine, before he gathers a search party.”

“You’re right, I’d better go,” Bilbo hurriedly gathered his papers and smiled at the dwarf as he made his way to the door. “It was good to see you Dain and thank you again for the tie.”

“No problem. Now run, Thorin was in the east wing with the builders.”

Bilbo strode out of the meeting hall, trying not to lose his papers. Anxiety filled him; he and Thorin hadn't had a normal conversation in a long time. He knew he’d been putting off the talk they should have had a long time ago, but he just hadn’t been able to do that. He was worried that if they talked things would get worse and whatever connection they still had would break.

He missed their regular talks, when Thorin was a warm presence by his side. Was it really impossible to fix what was between them? How he wanted for things to be just as in Lake Town. Thorin had looked at him with so much warmth then. They’d shared a short kiss then, only a brief brush of lips, but it had held so many promises for the future. Was it really gone? Crushed by the gold sickness?

The halls of Erebor were busy as always at this hour, so it took Bilbo longer to get to the east wing than he'd thought it would. He hoped Thorin was still there. He didn’t have much time to look for him, since he was supposed to meet Ori in the library soon.

When he finally reached the east wing, he asked a passing dwarf where the king was and was directed to the new living areas that were being cleared of rubble.

Bilbo slowed his steps, trying to control his emotions. He could already see Thorin standing among the workers, holding up a  construction plan. The hobbit slowed even more, uncertain about interrupting; the last thing he needed was to make the king angry.

Luckily, one of the dwarfs noticed him, as he approached, and bowed slightly, lowering his eyes. Since the battle the dwarves had insisted on treating him as some kind of royalty, no matter how much Bilbo protested. This always made him nervous.

“Your Highness,” Bilbo said finally, bowing when Thorin turned to face him. “Lord Dain said that you wanted to see me,” he knew that he was too formal, but with all the dwarves watching, he couldn’t bring himself to relax.

“Master Baggins,” the king nodded slightly, his face completely unreadable. “I wanted to know how the meeting with Bard went,” he gestured for Bilbo to follow him towards a small table on the side of the hall. The rest of the dwarves left them alone, bowing deeply to their king.

Bilbo spread his papers on the table for Thorin, wanting to be done with this as soon as possible. He could already feel the tension between them.

“Bard assured me that the supplies should arrive in about a week,” he explained quickly. “We have more than enough until then. Here is the list we agreed to.” He pushed one of the documents towards Thorin, keeping his gaze down even as he felt Thorin's eyes upon him. “We will probably run out of wood, but Bard promised to talk to the elves, so we should be alright as long as we’re careful.”

In the hall, the dwarves returned to work and the sound of it made Bilbo relax. He knew that Thorin wouldn’t want to talk about anything personal where someone might hear them. He’d just finish this quickly and run to the library where no one would bother him. He had work to do and Ori was probably waiting for him.

“Well done, Master Baggins, thank you for all your work,” said Thorin after looking through the documents. Bilbo dared to glance at him and noticed a small smile on the king’s lips. His heart beat  instantly became faster.

“You’re welcome,” he said, with a smile of his own, and then quickly added, “Your Highness.”

“Master Baggins, please, you do not have to address me like that.”

“You’re the one insisting on calling me ‘Master Baggins’,” said Bilbo before he could stop himself. He clapped his mouth shut and stared in horror at his own feet. He shouldn’t have said that. Especially not where others could hear.

A quiet chuckle made him look up again. To his surprise, it came from the king himself, who was now watching him with a sad, but warm smile.

“True,” he replied, giving Bilbo his papers back. “Then I will try to change that, if you do not mind.”

Bilbo swallowed the lump that formed in his throat. He could see in Thorin’s eyes that he didn’t only mean titles; it was as if he was asking if they could bridge the gap between them. If there was still a chance for them. How Bilbo could say ‘no’ to those blue eyes.

“Of course I don’t mind,” he said quietly with a smile. Maybe this was a good chance to start to fix things between them? But no matter how much he would like to stay right now and see where this might go, he really needed to get back to work and he didn’t want to make Ori wait for him. Besides, this type of conversation should be done in private. How funny that not long ago he would have done anything to avoid this, but one word from Thorin and he was ready to try, even if he was still scared.

“I’m sorry Your… Thorin, but I have to get back to work.” Bilbo gave the king an apologetic smile, hoping that he wouldn’t take it the wrong way.

“Of course. I will not delay you any longer then,” Thorin seemed to be alright; he was still smiling. Then his eyes darted to Bilbo’s hair, as the hobbit turned his head to gather the rest of the papers. His curls were falling out of his ponytail. It seemed the tie wasn’t as good as Bilbo had hoped.

“Who gave you that hair tie?” Thorin asked suddenly.

“Oh, this?” The hobbit’s hand immediately went to the tie, touching it hesitantly. Had he done something wrong by wearing it? “Dain gave it to me so my hair wouldn't keep falling into my eyes. Seems it doesn’t work that well.”

“It did grow quite long,” Thorin hummed, looking at the tie with an unreadable expression. Bilbo squirmed under the king’s gaze, suddenly wanting to run again.

“It really did. I’ll have to cut it soon, when I have the time, but now I really should go. Ori is waiting for me.”

“Of course. See you later, Bilbo,” and with that Thorin turned around and marched towards the royal wing,without a glance back.

Bilbo stared after him for a few moments before he scurried off to the library. He was already late. While he sprinted through the halls, he wondered what had happened to Thorin. Everything had seemed fine until he noticed the tie. Had the hobbit really offended him in some way by wearing it? But he was sure Dain would tell him if it meant something. Dwarves and their secret traditions...

He quickly took the tie off and shoved it into his pocket, letting his curls fall about his shoulders and face. He hoped that this silly thing hadn’t upset the king enough to destroy this chance they had to fix their relationship.

~~~~~~

Without natural light, it was hard to distinguish the time of the day in the mountain. Bilbo was sitting in the library sorting out documents for the next day's meetings, when he noticed the time on the small pocket watch he’d received from Nori (he preferred not to know how he got it). He'd left it next to him on the table so he would remember to get to bed earlier, but it seemed his plan hadn't worked. It was late and he was still in the library. Again.

Bilbo gathered his papers as he cursed under his breath before glancing around, but the room was empty. Ori had probably left long ago, and since nobody wanted to disturb him, he was now alone.

_ Curse those dwarves for not putting windows in here! _ the hobbit thought as he hurried towards his rooms. So much for a long night’s sleep. He just hoped he’d pay attentions during the meetings in the morning. The new guild masters could be stubborn when it came to supplies and money. He really should send them back to Balin, as the dwarf’s patience was limitless, unlike his own. He often wanted to throw something heavy at those stubborn mules.

Bilbo entered the corridor leading to his room, when he suddenly found himself facing a wall of armour. He stumbled backwards, mumbling apologies to whichever dwarf he’d nearly collided with. When he glanced up he saw Thorin, staring at him in surprise, his hands slightly lifted as if he wanted to steady the hobbit.

“Thorin!” Bilbo stepped back further. “I’m so sorry, I should have looked where I was going.”

“Peace Bilbo, no harm done,” the king regarded at him for a few seconds, as if considering something. “Actually, it is good that we ran into each other.  I went to your rooms earlier, but the guards told me that you still had not returned.”

“I lost track of time in the library,” Bilbo wondered why Thorin had been to his chambers. Whatever did he want at this hour? A couple of days had passed since they’d talked in the east wing and they hadn’t seen each other since then. “What are you doing here at this hour?” he asked cautiously.

“I wanted to talk to you, but if it is too late, I can come another time,” the king turned to leave, but Bilbo was going to have none of that. Thorin finally wanted to talk, so it was about time the hobbit took some of his mother’s courage and settled this once and for all. No more running. Whatever would come from this he would  accept it. It would be better than not knowing.

“Wait, Thorin,” he said, proud that his voice didn’t waver. “I really don’t mind. Come, let’s talk inside.” Not waiting for the dwarf to reply, he grabbed his arm and led him to his chambers. The king didn’t seem to mind, following the hobbit without a word.

When they reached Bilbo’s room, he let go of the king’s arm, so that the guard standing there wouldn’t spread any unnecessary rumours, and invited Thorin inside. As the door closed behind them, Bilbo instantly felt anxious. The king hadn’t been here before and it had been a long time since they’d been alone together. Not since Lake Town, now that he thought about it. They hadn’t really talked since then; it seemed like years passed from that night.

“Would you like some tea?” Bilbo asked, trying to distract himself.

“If it is not a problem, then yes, please,” the king sat before of the fireplace, in one of the armchairs that Bofur had made.

“No problem at all, since I’ll be brewing one for myself anyway. The library is still quite dusty and sitting there so long has made my throat dry,” the hobbit knew that he was rambling, but he always did that when he was nervous. He really needed to calm down, or nothing would come from this.

When the tea was ready, Bilbo placed the steaming cups on the table between them and sat in the other armchair. He fiddled nervously with the straps of his tunic. How did one even start a conversation like this? What should he say?

Luckily, it was Thorin who broke the silence.

“I noticed that you are not wearing your hair tie,” he said, looking at the fire with a thoughtful expression.

“Well I…,” Bilbo ran a hand through his hair automatically, thinking about an answer. What should he tell him? That he’d seen the king’s discomfort last time? He didn’t feel brave enough to admit to that. “I noticed that the other dwarves were looking at me strangely when I wore it,” that wasn’t a lie. He only wore the tie in the library now,since that was when his hair really drove him crazy, and he did receive a few curious looks from others. “I hope I didn’t break any important dwarven custom?”

“Do not worry, you have not,” answered Thorin with a sad smile, finally looking at him. “It is just that blue is the colour of Durin’s line. By wearing that colour, you declare that you are one of us.”

“Oh...” was all Bilbo could say at that. Blast Dain and his ideas! If he’d known he would never have accepted the tie.

“As I said, you do not need to worry,” the king quickly assured him, noticing the hobbit’s expression. “I should have named you friend of the Line of Durin long ago. Dain knew that, so he offered you the tie. To motivate me to finally make it official.”

“But Thorin!” exclaimed Bilbo, looking at the dwarf with wide eyes. “I don’t think I’ve earned such a title. Don’t be silly, I’m just a hobbit.”

“You are not ‘just a hobbit’, Bilbo,” Thorin looked very serious now, one hand fidgeting nervously in his pocket. “You saved us all many times during our journey. You faced a dragon, stopped a war and, if it were not for you calling the eagles on Ravenhill, my nephews and I would have died. I think you very much deserve that title. You deserve so much more. I just did not have the courage to give that to you.”

Bilbo could feel the blush spreading over his cheeks as he stared at the king with wide eyes. He hadn’t expected words like this. But did Thorin mean them as a friend or something more?

“Thorin, I...,” he started, but couldn’t think of anything to say.

“You are a friend and a part of the Durin house and it would be an honour if... if you accepted this,” Thorin quickly pulled an object out of his pocket. He seemed uncertain for a moment, but finally opened his hand. Leaning close, Bilbo inhaled sharply at the sight of the beautiful silver bead on the dwarf’s palm.Delicate carvings formed a mountain and a flower, with tiny blue and green gems at the top and the symbol of Durin with Khuzdul writing at the bottom. It was really stunning and he couldn’t take his eyes from it.

“It’s beautiful,” he gasped finally, staring at the little thing in admiration.

“I am glad you like it. It states that the one who wears it is a friend of Durin’s Line and the markings at the bottom say that you are a dwarf-friend. I have made a few, but I think this one suits you the most.”

“You made it yourself?”

Thorin didn’t answer, just looked down at the bead, a faint blush slowly spreading over his cheeks. That was answer enough for Bilbo. The king really made it. The hobbit couldn’t stop his grin. It may have only been a house bead, but it spoke volumes to Bilbo. He had thought that the king would kick him out of the mountain as soon as Gandalf was out of sight. But no, he still mattered to Thorin, even if it was only friendship. That would be more than enough. After everything that had happened he wouldn’t dare to ask for more. At least not now. Together, they would heal their wounds and then, maybe, there would be a chance for more again.

“Thank you, Thorin,” Bilbo carefully took the bead from the king’s hand and smiled at him. “Of course I’ll accept it. I'd be honoured to wear it, although, I might look a bit silly with a braid.”

“I am sure it will suit you,” chuckled Thorin as he finally raised his gaze. There was something in his eyes, something that Bilbo thought he’d seen that night in Lake Town.

“Would you...,” Bilbo stopped as a glimmer next to Thorin’s chair caught his eye. Something small and golden shone in the firelight.

Before he could think better of it, the hobbit stood up and reached for it.

“Bilbo what are you...,” the moment Thorin saw what was in his friend’s hand he grew quiet, dread clear in his eyes.

Bilbo held a golden bead, the symbol of Durin picked out in tiny sapphires. He knew exactly what gold meant: courting. It must have fallen out of the king’s pocket when he’d reached for the other one.

The silence stretched between them as Bilbo stared at the bead in shock, not knowing what to say. Another moment passed before he noticed the small flower, exactly the same as the on carved into his silver bead. He looked at Thorin, who was sitting ramrod straight in the armchair, staring in horror at the small thing. Bilbo felt all his walls, all his uncertainty and fear crumbling away, a wave of emotions engulfing him.

All this running and avoiding...they were really acting like children. Both of them constantly over-complicating everything between them. His mother would really be mad at him right now. She had always said that problems wouldn’t go away just because he avoided them. The longer issues were ignored, the more they grew and tangled, making situations worse. And often, all it took to resolve a problem was a heartfelt talk.

“Look at us, Thorin,” he said quietly, breaking the heavy silence, gazing at the bead with a small smile. “What a mess we’ve made. We managed to complicate this quite terribly. Everything seemed so easy in Lake Town.”

Thorin finally looked up from the bead, his eyes sad, and delicately took Bilbo’s hand in his, as though scared he might run. Well, Bilbo was through with running. Time to finally settle this.

“What do you think we should do?” he asked, staring Thorin in the eye.

The king didn’t answer right away. He held the hobbit’s gaze, searching for something. He seemed uncertain and even scared. Bilbo didn’t blame him. So he let all his emotions show on his face. He wanted the dwarf to know that he still cared and that even if the bond was damaged, he wanted to try to make this right.

“Do you think we can make this easy again?” Thorin finally asked, his grip growing slightly stronger.

“It won’t be simple,” Bilbo knew that there were many difficulties ahead of them. There had been too much sorrow for everything to return to normal immediately; and even if it did, things would never be quite the same. “Do you want to, Thorin?”

“I...I did not dare to hope to ask, after everything that happened. A selfish part of me made that bead, searched for you, but I was too scared to ask,” Thorin pulled him closer, loosening his grip, as if giving him the chance to pull away. “I would like to try, Bilbo. I know that it will not be easy, but we should at least try.”

Thorin must have thought about it as often as he had. Both of them frightened, even though they wanted to try again.

His mother had said that love was always worth fighting for. Had he not fought from the very beginning, when he ran from Bag End without a handkerchief? He’d fought for his friends, for peace, for Thorin; he had done it many times, so why back away now?

“This might turn out terribly,” he said grasping the king’s hand tighter. “But I think it’s worth the risk.”

Thorin smiled warmly at this and buried his face against the hobbit’s belly, holding him tightly. They hadn’t touched like this since Lake Town and Bilbo had missed it terribly. He ran his hand through Thorin’s thick mane, enjoying their closeness.

“Will you braid the beads into my hair?” he finally asked quietly, scared to break the moment.

“I would be honoured,” Thorin gazed up at him with a blinding smile, and Bilbo couldn't help but mirror his expression.

As Bilbo leaned down to kiss his king, he thought that they might make it after all. And by the way Thorin held him and kissed back, he seemed to agree.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This idea came from very talented [mithrilbikini](http://mithrilbikini.tumblr.com/) and her long-haired Bilbo. Go check out her wonderful art! :)
> 
> At first it was a short story about Bilbo trying cope with his long hair and Thorin being a sappy dork to scared to give him the courting bead. As I started to write, it changed...a lot, as you can see :D I don't even know when it turned a bit angsty.


	4. Staring isn’t always so bad

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thorin brings his nephews to the doctor. A very hot doctor.  
> Lots of staring occurs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My usual reminder: I'm not English, so, sorry for the mistakes.  
> This is beta tested by lovely [dee-licium](https://hobbitystmarymorstan.tumblr.com/)

Rush hour was the worst time to drive through the middle of the city. Especially with two sick and whining kids at the back seat. Luck hadn’t been on his side these past few days. Thorin had two projects to finish when his lovely sister decided to dump her two sons onto him so she and her husband, Vili, could go on a week-long holiday. Thorin wouldn’t mind on any other occasion, since he loved the boys dearly, but he really had a deadline to keep. He had two projects to finish! Of course, Dis hadn’t listened and had left Fili and Kili in his care.

As the week went on, things only got worse. The boys started to complain about sore throats on the second day of their stay and on the third got a fever as a bonus. To make matters worse, Thorin’s doctor, Oin, was on holiday too and couldn’t look at the boys. Great. At least Oin had given him a phone number to a good paediatrician he knew.

So here he was, driving his nephews to a clinic on the other side of the city, in the midst of rush hour, and trying not to swear because if the boys learned swears from him, Dis would kill him.

“Uncle, I don’t feel good. Can we go back?” grumbled Fili for the umpteenth time, looking at Thorin angrily.

“No, Fili, you need to see a doctor,” he explained, trying to be patient. His nephews didn’t like doctors, so making them go was a nightmare. He really hoped they won’t make a scene in the clinic.

“But, uncle, we’ll be fine.”

“You two have a fever and that shouldn’t be ignored. You wouldn’t want something to happen to Kili, right?” Thorin knew that he wasn’t playing fair, but he really was losing his patience. That and the fact that he was getting more worried, didn’t help.

“No, uncle,” mumbled Fili and held his younger brother’s hand more tightly. Luckily, Kili was sleeping off his fever so he wasn’t in much discomfort, unlike his brother.

“It will be fine, don’t worry. I heard this doctor is very nice,” Thorin tried to reassure the boy and himself too, to be honest. He didn’t know this Baggins fellow and he really didn’t like the idea of handing his nephews to a stranger, no matter what Oin said, but he didn’t have much of a choice. He hoped to get this done quickly.

Finally, after more traffic and whining, they arrived at the clinic. It was a nice, new building with large windows; probably built not long ago. Thorin ushered Fili out of the car, took Kili in his arms and went to the door, holding his older nephew’s hand.

“Finally here,” he mumbled as he marched straight to the reception. “Excuse me, I have an appointment with Doctor Baggins at three,” he said to the young lady there.

“Good afternoon, sir, it is room five on the right,” she said with a smile and handed him some papers. “Before you go, could you please sign here.”

Thorin quickly took the documents, trying to sign them with Kili still in his arms. The boy stirred at the movement and whimpered quietly into his uncle’s shoulder.

“My head hurts, I wanna go home.”

“I know lad, but it won’t take long, I promise,” Thorin rubbed the boy’s back trying to sound reassuring. “The doctor will help you.”

“I don’t like doctors,” Kili finally emerged from his shoulder, but there were tears in his eyes.

_ Oh no, please don’t cry _ , thought Thorin in a panic. He really didn’t have the energy to deal with a crying boy, especially a sick one.

Just as he was about to try and cheer Kili up, the receptionist leaned closer over the desk and said in a conspiratorial whisper.

“You know, I heard that, if you are brave patients, Doctor Baggins gives you lots of sweets,” she winked at Kili and then at Fili, putting a finger to her lips. “But that’s a secret. You can’t tell anyone, ok?”

“We won’t, we promise,” Fili jumped at his side and Kili’s eyes brightened up. Candy always worked.

“Good boys. Now go or you’ll be late,” she smiled at them and Thorin gave her a thankful nod before he hurried towards room five. The door was covered in colourful posters and kid’s drawings. Definitely a paediatrician, thought Thorin as he knocked. He really hoped Doctor Baggins was a good one, just as Oin said.

Thorin heard a muffled ‘enter’ and pushed the door open, letting Fili go first in case the boy decided that candy wasn’t worth the risk. He already had a few cases of running from dentists.

“Good afternoon,” greeted the doctor and Thorin almost stumbled over his own feet. He’d imagined an older fellow with white hair, looking more like a grandpa, just like Oin. He certainly hadn't expected this.

Doctor Baggins was young, his age or a bit younger. He had a mass of golden curls, green eyes and a warm smile that made Thorin’s insides do a funny backflip. The small glasses and white coat added even more charm to the man. He was very handsome and the first thought that came to Thorin’s mind, was that he was in trouble. Big trouble.

“Good afternoon, doctor,” he finally managed to say, hating that he sounded a bit breathless. He hoped that his face wasn’t as red as it felt.

“Mister Durin, I presume?” the doctor rose from the chair and stood in front of his desk, still with that amazing smile of his. If he didn’t stop soon, Thorin was sure he’d end up making a fool of himself (if he hadn’t done that already). He just nodded at the doctor’s question not trusting his voice anymore.

“And what are your names, lads?” Baggins turned his attention to the boys now, smiling at them encouragingly. Thorin delicately nudged Fili, who was hiding behind him, to answer.

“I’m Fili, sir,” the boy eyed the doctor suspiciously, but emerged from his hiding place.

“I’m Kili!” His younger nephew didn’t seem as distrustful as his brother, as he wobbled in Thorin’s arms, looking around the office with interest. “I’m seven, Fili’s eight! Do you really have sweets?”

“Kili!” Coughed Thorin in shock. The nerve of this kid, really, and he’d acted so sick moments ago.

The doctor didn’t seemed to mind; he laughed and gave Kili a big smile. At that point Thorin started to worry about his insides, making all those weird moves and jumps. He was going to die here if the doctor continued this. Even his laugh sounded amazing.

“Don’t worry, Mister Durin,” Baggins replied and then looked at his nephews again. “I might have something, but only for brave patients. Are you two brave?”

“We are!” said Fili with determination and Kili nodded to that.

“Then I’m sure I’ll find you something. So, what is the problem?” He looked at Thorin expectantly, smile still there.

“Sore throat...they started a fever this morning,” his voice seemed to go on vacation with Dis, along with his eloquence. He was making such a fool of himself. “They were fine yesterday.”

“Lots of kids are coming down with similar symptoms these days. Something might be in the air. It develops quite quickly, but isn’t dangerous. Although, I'll double-check to make sure. Alright boys, who wants to try out a stethoscope?” Baggins asked the boys encouragingly, hands on hips. 

“Can we really?” Fili’s eyes were wide as he stared at the doctor in awe.

“Of course! Sit on those chairs and we’ll start.”

Fili sprinted to one of the colourful chairs at the other end of the room looking excited, Kili right behind, as Thorin put him down. They had been so sick in the car... A bit of motivation with the promise of sweets could do miracles. He really should make notes (if he could stop ogling the doctor).

Mister Baggins took out his instruments and started the examination, chatting with the boys all the time, explaining everything he was doing.

“Let’s hear how your heart works, Fili. Could you breathe for me please? That’s a boy. Kili would you like to listen to your brother’s heart? Put those in your ears. Do you hear it? It beats strongly doesn’t it? Now your turn Fili; listen to Kili’s heart.”

Thorin just stared at the trio, amazed at how the doctor caught the boys’ attention. He examined them and they didn’t even protest as they usually did. They seemed mesmerised by everything the man was doing, as he explained how bodies work and how you can get sick. Oin was right, Baggins was good at dealing with children and, judging by that amazing smile, he was very much enjoying it. He was also bloody handsome, which Oin failed to warn Thorin about. Although he was never going to say that to the old man. He was already in enough trouble judging by the warm feeling spreading through him as he watched the boys and the doctor chatting happily together.

“Thank you for your assistance boys, it was very helpful,” the doctor finally stood up and patted the boys on the back. They looked so proud of themselves. “It seems it’s just a cold,” he continued, as he looked at Thorin (he was not staring at the doctor’s ass, definitively not). “I’ll prescribe something for the fever and throat, but a warm bed, rest and some lemon tea with honey will get them back in shape in no time.”

“Thank you, doctor,” mumbled Thorin, trying to fight off his blush. He was acting like a bloody teenager!

“You’re welcome,” Baggins smiled even brighter at Thorin and then looked at the boys. “You were very brave today, so I think a prize is in order,” he opened the desk and took out two big lollipops with stickers and handed them to the cheering boys. “Here are your promised sweets and a ‘brave patient’ sticker. Now everyone will know how courageous you two were. I’m sure your dad is very proud,” he added looking at Thorin.

“He’s not our dad, he’s our uncle!” explained Fili before Thorin had any chance to talk.

“Ah...I see, sorry for the mistake then,” said the doctor looking thoughtfully, as he sat behind his desk.

“They are my sister’s sons. She left them in my care for the week,” Thorin didn’t know why he was explaining himself. It wasn’t as if he was going to see the man ever again. It was a shame, but he was sure that someone so handsome was already taken.

“It’s good that you’re helping, Mister Durin,” the doctor wrote something at his computer, then passed him a prescription. “Here are the medicines you should get and some tea recipes that I’m sure will help too. If the fever doesn’t go down, please come again and I’ll give them something stronger.”

“Thank you, doctor,” Thorin took the prescriptions and ushered his nephews to thank the man too.

“Thank you, mister doctor!” the boys said in unison with big smiles. They seemed better already.

The doctor waved at them as they left, his gorgeous smile permanently imprinted on Thorin’s mind. When the door closed behind them, he took a deep, calming breath. Finally, it was over. A bit longer and the man would have noticed his staring. He was  never so fascinated with another person as right now. Maybe he’d be able to discreetly get some info from Oin about Baggins. It would probably be meaningless, but it wouldn’t hurt to try. If not, he’d just have to get over it and fast, before Dis notices.

As they walked towards the exit, the boys at the front chatting in excitement about what happened, Thorin looked at the prescriptions and the recipes. He’d have to drive to the pharmacy on their way home. He just hoped that the traffic wasn’t as bad now. Everything was written in nice, neat handwriting. Unravelling Oin’s writing was nearly impossible. As Thorin looked at the other side of the papers, he noticed a small note containing a phone number and a short message:  _ ‘Would you like to have some tea or coffee, Mister Durin?’ _ .

Thorin nearly walked into a wall as he re-read it, not believing his own eyes. He could feel a enormous blush spreading over his face.

Oh god...

“Are you alright uncle?”asked Fili looking at him in puzzlement.

“Fine...I’m fine, let’s go,” mumbled Thorin as he pushed the papers into his pocket.

The doctor had noticed his staring after all. 


	5. The best cure for a writer’s block

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bilbo is fighting with writer’s block. Thorin finds a unique cure.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My usual reminder: I'm not English!  
> This is beta tested by lovely [dee-licium](https://hobbitystmarymorstan.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Now with [art](http://nastyrutobuka.tumblr.com/post/148508705600/nirindel-commissioned-me-to-close-the-cycle-of)!

Bilbo glared at his empty notebook and ran a hand through his already messy curls. Nothing. Not a single word. His mind never felt as blank as it did now. It was like his imagination had decided to take a holiday, forgotten to tell him and now it wouldn’t even answer the phone.

It had already been a month. A month of staring at a piece of paper and clutching a pen. A month of brainstorming and sleepless nights. A month of nothing. Bilbo groaned and buried his face in his hands. Curse this blasted writer’s block! Why did it have to happen now? He had been doing so well until now.

The last book Bilbo had written became so popular that Gandalf, his editor, suggested a continuation. Bilbo had already thought about that. His story about the dwarven prince had so many fans, that he started to create new scenarios. So, when Gandalf asked if he would like to write more, he’d agreed. He was sure that, after finishing the previous book so quickly, he would be able to continue without a problem. There were so many ideas in his mind already. It turned out he’d been very wrong. Ideas were one thing, but putting them together was another.

Starting the story was always the hardest part, but this was getting out of hand. This was the longest he'd gone without writing. In the past, Bilbo used to write so much that he occasionally couldn’t keep up with buying new notebooks. His husband would have to run down to the shop, because Bilbo was running out of paper in a wave of inspiration. Thorin laughed that he would pre-order a dozen notebooks every week to be sure that Bilbo had enough.

This time, however, was different. A month ago, when Bilbo sat in his office with a new notebook and a big cup of tea and lowered his favourite pen to the paper, nothing happened. No words came, as they usually did. He’d tried to sort out his ideas and make a plan, but that didn’t work. So he tried brainstorming, but nothing came from that, either. So he tried to sleep with his thoughts, since that always worked when he was stuck, but when morning came his mind was still blank. Bilbo decided then to try every technique he knew for being stuck. He tried lists, songs, possibilities, what would never happen and many more, but his notebook stayed empty.

At this point, Bilbo knew he had a quite serious writer’s block at hand. The words wouldn’t turn into sentences, no matter how many ideas he had.

He called Gandalf then, to warn him, and got to work. He had his own little techniques that usually helped. He cleaned his office first. He rearranged the furniture, he moved his books and put the ones from the floor on the shelves. He dusted every corner of the room and even cleaned his desk. Thorin was shocked when he saw that, because the desk was always a total mess of paper, notebooks and mugs, under which a computer could sometimes be spotted. He could never understand why Bilbo wrote on paper when he had a perfectly functioning computer. Bilbo always tried to explain that paper made it easier for him to write, but his husband was still sceptical.

When the office was spotless and his notebook still empty, Bilbo moved to the rest of the house. After four days their apartment was clean, Thorin had a headache  and Bilbo was tired and angry. Still nothing.

Desperate times called for desperate measures. Bilbo started to bake. That always helped to calm his mind and let it wander through the ideas, sorting them out.

By the end of the week, he’d made dozens of muffins, cookies and cakes. The only thing that did was make Thorin’s nephews happy. The notebook stayed empty. When Bilbo tried to bake more, his husband hid all the pans and ingredients. After that, Bilbo shut himself in his office angry and exhausted. This was really becoming ridiculous. He didn’t have any other ideas on how to get through this writer’s block.

Thorin tried to cheer him up and help in any way he could. They went to the cinema a few times, had a nice daylong road trip, even went to Bilbo’s favourite restaurants. Fili and Kili also tried to help by making up their own versions of the story. Bilbo really was grateful, but as the days went on and his mind refused to cooperate, he became more and more irritated. Thorin started to avoid him at that point, so they wouldn’t end up arguing. Bilbo knew he was acting awful, but after another call from Gandalf he really started to panic. He’d had blocks like this before, but never in a time when he needed a story so badly. He really had ideas, he just couldn’t put them into a story.

With an angry huff Bilbo stood from his chair and left the office. He was going to make a tray of chocolate muffins just for himself (he’d found out where Thorin hid everything in one of his angry searches) and sit in the office with a jug full of tea and he would stay there until he finally wrote something. That, or Gandalf (or Thorin) would finally kill him...

When the muffins were in the oven, and the delicious smell of chocolate filled the kitchen, Bilbo leaned on the table and looked through the window. He wasn’t sure when he had gone outside last. Probably a week ago, when Thorin had dragged him to another restaurant. It had been lovely then, but he’d been so tired and desperate that he couldn’t think about anything than his book. After that, he’d spend so much time stuck in his office that he hadn’t even slept in the bedroom.

Bilbo sighed and stretched his sore neck and back. He really needed to apologise to Thorin and make it up to him when this was over. It was a miracle that they had managed two years of marriage without any big arguments and that Thorin still stayed with him, despite the things he had to put up with when Bilbo had problems writing.

A noise from upstairs told him that Thorin was already home from work. Bilbo wondered what time he had came back. He hadn’t seen his husband much lately. He mostly stayed with his sister these days, to give Bilbo peace and quiet for writing.

“Baking again, Bilbo?” a quiet question came from the direction of the kitchen door, pulling him from his thoughts. Bilbo didn’t move, continuing to stare out the window. He wasn’t in the mood for talking with Thorin right now; he would have preferred to hide in his office so he wouldn't say something he'd regret.

“These are for me. Chocolate,” they were his favourite and he always made them when he planned to write all night. He was sure Thorin knew that.

“Got rid of the writer’s block then?”

“Not yet, but I’m working on it.”

“Good, otherwise this would be wasted.”

“What are you...” Bilbo didn’t, or rather couldn’t finish his question. When he turned around all the words got stuck in his throat and he stumbled, nearly landing on the floor at the sight before him.

Thorin was leaning casually on the doorframe with a pleased smile on his lips, wearing nothing but Bilbo’s old, pink, heart-shaped apron. Bilbo had received it years ago from his cousin Primula, as a prank. He never wore it and he had no idea how Thorin had managed to find it. Not that it looked bad on him. On the contrary actually.

The apron was too small for Thorin, barely covering anything. Bilbo could feel his mouth watering at the sight of his husband’s muscled arms and legs, broad shoulders and hairy chest. His long black hair, usually tied back in a ponytail, was left falling in waves over his shoulders. And the apron...oh good havens. It tried and, luckily, failed to cover Thorin’s member which seemed very interested in the direction all this was heading.

“Wh-where did you find that?” Bilbo tried to clear his throat, ignoring how hoarse his voice sounded.

“I found it when you were cleaning up,” Thorin  smirked, eyes dark and suggestive as he slowly made his way towards Bilbo. He knew perfectly well where his husband’s eyes were. “Do you like it?”

“It suits you q-quite well,” Bilbo swallowed thickly, his clothes suddenly uncomfortably tight. When was the last time they’d had sex? Probably some time ago, judging by the heated look Thorin was giving him. “So what was that solution you were talking about?”

His husband only grinned as he closed the remaining distance between them and pushed Bilbo against the counter, effectively capturing him there and kissing him so hard that he was sure his lips would be bruised later. He didn’t mind, especially as he felt Thorin’s fingers diving underneath his t-shirt.

Even when the muffins (or what was left of them) had to be thrown away later and the kitchen thoroughly cleaned, Bilbo didn’t complain. Thorin certainly had some marvellous solutions for his writer’s block, so that was compensation enough. Especially since he wrote two full chapters the next day. He was making the heart-shaped apron his main cure for blocks. Definitely.

There was only one problem...

He wouldn’t be able to look Prim in the eyes for a while.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This idea came form [Ruto's](http://rutobuka2.tumblr.com/) stream. I always try to watch it, because the chat provides endless inspiration :D With this one someone (unfortunately I don't remember who exactly) mentioned heart shaped aprons and that Thorin would look lovely in one. I think [Ruto](http://rutobuka2.tumblr.com/) even made a little doodle of him wearing one. After that I couldn't help myself, I had to write about it :D  
> What's more we all know the pain of a writer's block ;) I had an idea of Bilbo trying to fight one and Thorin trying to survive it. Magically those two ideas combined and this silly thing was created :D  
> I'm not good at writing smut so you image for yourself what might have happened in that kitchen ;)
> 
> Also I think that writing first on paper makes writing, and later checking the story, much easier. I usually catch mistakes that would be hard to find if I just reread it on my computer.


	6. Blue eyes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bilbo just wanted to break Thorin from the gold madness...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My usual reminder: I'm not English, so, sorry for the mistakes.  
> This is beta tested by lovely [dee-licium](https://hobbitystmarymorstan.tumblr.com/)

This was all so wrong. So terribly, terribly wrong. Everything had been going so smoothly, so promisingly. How had it even come to this? Thorin had been smiling so warmly at him a few moments ago. His eyes had seemed so clear; more like the eyes he adored. Beautiful blue eyes with a special spark reserved only for him. Now they were gone again, replaced with a cold, dark stare filled with rage and hatred. Rage and hatred directed at him. Thorin had always been so gentle and caring. Where was it all gone? Why did he hate him?

Was it the acorn? Or maybe something Bilbo had said? Did the king see something in his actions? Maybe he saw through him? Maybe he knew he had the Arkenstone? No... That was impossible. The stone was hidden deep in the hobbit’s coat. He wanted to give it to Thorin, he really did. When he noticed that the gold haze in the dwarf’s eyes had started to clear, he wanted to present it to Thorin and make him smile again. That beautiful smile full of warmth. But the smile was gone now. The king’s face was twisted in an angry snarl.

Bilbo felt cold. The floors of Erebor didn’t have much warmth in them. He could feel rocks digging into his back and Thorin was pressing him even harder into the ground. It hurt. It hurt so much. Why did the king hate him? The hobbit just wanted for his friend to be safe and happy. He wanted for Thorin to return to the way he was. It seemed impossible now. Not with the dwarf looming over him.

Everything had happened so quickly. They were talking a few seconds ago, just as they had on their journey. Thorin was smiling and Bilbo was happy. He showed him the acorn, hoping to distract the dwarf’s mind, to pull him from his madness. It had seemed to be working. He thought that maybe he would plant the little seed in Erebor instead of Bag End. He could make the mountain his new home, with his friends and with Thorin. He wanted to say that to the king, but he didn’t get the chance.

Maybe he moved too suddenly? Maybe there was something in his tone? Bilbo didn’t know. He just found himself on the ground in a split second, Thorin kneeling above him, but not in passion, but in rage. The hobbit was so shocked that he didn’t know what to do. He wanted to ask the king what was wrong, calm him down, but he couldn’t. He couldn’t move, speak or breathe. Thorin’s hands, those gentle, strong hands, were wrapped around his neck squeezing. The same hands that had embraced him on Carrock, the same hands that had comforted him in Mirkwood’s dark paths, the same hands that had held him so close in Lake-town, when he was sick and cold. The same hands that were always so delicate and loving were now squeezing Bilbo’s life out.

Maybe he deserved it? He hadn’t given the Arkenstone back, so maybe this was his punishment?

His acorn was lying on the cold ground next to him. He’d let it go when Thorin grabbed him. Bilbo wanted to reach for it, to show it to his king again. Maybe it would stop the madness. But he couldn’t move and his vision had already became blurry.

 _It’s already too late_ , he thought sadly. He wouldn’t be able to plant it after all. He just hoped that someone would take care of it, so the life in the acorn wouldn’t die. So that the tree in that small seed would grow big and strong one day.

Bilbo wrapped his hands around Thorin’s wrists; not to pry them off his throat, he knew he was too weak for that. No, he just wanted to touch his beloved dwarf one last time. Touch those once gentle hands, feel the pulse, feel that his king was alive. That was enough for him. It didn’t even hurt anymore. He would be fine, as long as Thorin was safe.

With the rest of his strength Bilbo looked into Thorin’s eyes and smiled. He tried to put all his love and devotion in that last smile despite the tears that started to run down his cheeks. He wanted to show the king that he’d be alright, that he wasn’t angry. That he would do anything for him. That he loved him from the bottom of his heart.

Finally, Bilbo felt the last of his strength leave him. His vision darkened and he let his hands fall to his sides. _This is enough_ , he thought, as he stopped fighting the darkness swallowing him.

The last things he saw were eyes. Beautiful blue eyes, with no rage, hatred or golden haze. Just the blue eyes he loved so much.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My inspiration came from [this beautiful drawing](http://3bino3.tumblr.com/post/134966911270/madness) by [NEMO](http://3bino3.tumblr.com/)
> 
> The more you cry the more inspiration I get :>


	7. Kitchen disaster

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thorin tries to cook, but fails quite spectacularly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My usual reminder: I'm not English, so, sorry for the mistakes.  
> This is beta tested by lovely [dee-licium](https://hobbitystmarymorstan.tumblr.com/)

Bilbo knew something was wrong the moment he entered the royal wing. The whole corridor smelled of something burnt. Panicked, he ran towards the chambers he and Thorin shared, dozens of scenarios running through his head. Had he left the stove open? Or maybe the fur rugs were too close to the fireplace? Had the fire gotten out of control? Bilbo reached the doors, panting heavily, swinging them open. As he entered the chamber, the burning smell hit him before he realized that smoke filled the rooms like a thick veil. More smoke drifted from the kitchen, so the hobbit dashed there ready to interfere or call for help, but he froze by the doors when he caught sight of what was left of his little kingdom.

Bilbo couldn’t suppress the whine; the kitchen looked like a mad warg had been unleashed in it. The table was covered in pots and bowls, all of them smeared with different unidentified substances. Cracked eggs lay everywhere, and he wondered if his kitchen floor didn't contain Erebor's entire stock of eggs. The counters and cabinets were all covered in more strange mess: handprints and something sticky - Bilbo wasn’t sure if he wanted to know exactly what it was. The oven still emitted smoke, as well as the scent of burnt leather, which made Bilbo cough. What’s more, everything was covered in a thick layer of flour, as if the snow decided to fall inside the mountain instead of outside.

In the middle of the disaster stood Thorin, with an expression of a child caught on doing something strictly forbidden. His tunic was stained different colors and his boots were covered with egg yolks and shells; victims of an intense battle. Thorin, just like the rest of the kitchen, was covered in flour, especially his hair.

Bilbo took a deep, calming breath and glared at the king. Thorin shrank and shuffled his feet, as if trying to cover the mess.

“What, in the love of the Green Lady, has happened here, Thorin Oakenshield?” Bilbo’s voice was very quiet, but it made the dwarf flinch; he only used this tone when he was truly angry.

“I tried...well I wanted to...to cook,” mumbled Thorin with an apologetic expression.

“And you failed quite spectacularly. Were you trying to create one of Balin’s exploding fires? Because certainly something exploded here!”

Thorin knew perfectly well that the kitchen was his domain and that he didn’t like anyone messing with it. It would take hours to clean this mess up; certainly he wouldn't be able to make the raspberry muffins he'd planned for afternoon tea...

“I wanted to bake you something,” the king confessed quietly as if scared that loud voices will make Bilbo more angry. “That is what hobbit courting is about, correct? You told me that it is important amongst your people. You are always baking for me, so I wanted to return the favour.”

Bilbo's anger vanished in the blink of an eye, overtaken by a swell of warm affection. Thorin wanted to cook. For him. This was the sweetest thing the king had done for him. Bilbo couldn’t help but smile lovingly at his sappy husband-to-be. He closed the distance between them, careful not to step on anything worse than eggshells, and gave Thorin a quick kiss on the lips (the only place not covered in flour).

“You silly dwarf,” chuckled Bilbo as he ran a hand through the king’s messy hair, lifting a white cloud at the same time. “Thank you for the thought, really.”

“You are not mad?” Thorin glanced at him hesitantly, his shoulders beginning to relax.

“Not anymore, but you’ll have to help me clean this mess as punishment,” Bilbo couldn’t help but laugh at the king’s relieved smile.

“Of course I will help you. I am sorry that I made a mess of your kitchen.”

“It’s alright. It’s the thought that counts.”

This time Thorin gave him a kiss, trying to pull the hobbit against him. Bilbo giggled into the kiss as he tried to wriggle away; he preferred his clothes to stay clean, no matter how nice Thorin’s lips were.

“As lovely as this is, we need to put you and this kitchen back in order,” the hobbit eyed the room with a sigh and rolled up his sleeves. This would take some time. He patted the dwarf’s shoulder, lifting another white cloud, and steered him out of the kitchen. “You look like you have my entire flour supply on you. Go get cleaned and come back to help. Could you also open the windows on your way? We need to get rid of this smell.”

“As my consort commands,” Thorin stole another kiss, smirking as he headed towards the bathroom.

“Future consort. Behave,” chuckled Bilbo and turned back to the kitchen. They would probably be stuck here for the whole day. He had no idea how Thorin managed to make so much mess in such a short time. He had only left his last meeting an hour ago!

When the king came back, not looking like a flour ghost anymore, Bilbo was in the middle of gathering all of his pots and bowls and other utensils. All of them needed a good scrubbing.

“When we finish cleaning I’m going to show you how to bake muffins,” he said with a smile, as he handed Thorin the pots. “But I forbid you to do anything without me.The kitchen won’t survive anymore of your cooking attempts.”

Thorin grinned and started scrubbing without protest.

At least they’d spend the whole afternoon together, because Bilbo didn’t plan on letting the dwarf run from this. He was sure that Balin would be fine without them for the rest of the day.

 _Every cloud has a silver lining_ , thought Bilbo as he tried to maneuver between all the broken eggs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was baking my own raspberry muffins when I thought about Bilbo making them too. I wondered if he would like them and if he would bake them for the dwarves. Then I wondered how Thorin would manage baking....as you can see he wouldn't :D But we all still love him :>
> 
> If you want the recipe it's [here](http://www.popsugar.com/fitness/Recipe-Low-Sugar-High-Protein-Lemon-Raspberry-Muffins-17842967). They are great!

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed it. If so please comment, as I would like to know what you think :)
> 
> If you have any ideas, then feel free to let me know, maybe I'll write something for you ;)
> 
> Visit me on [Tumblr](http://nirindel.tumblr.com/)


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